[22nd General Election Who Will Run] Jeonnam Mokpo-si

Incumbents Kim Won-i, Moon Yong-jin, Bae Jong-ho, and Choi Il-gon Prepare for Party Primary

People Power's Yoon Seon-ung, Progressive Party's Choi Guk-jin, and Former Lawmaker Lee Yoon-seok Also Enter the Race

Mokpo, known as the "No. 1 political district in Jeonnam," attracts attention in every election. It is the political hometown of the late former President Kim Dae-jung and is also called the "root of the Democratic Party of Korea."

It has drawn particular attention ahead of this general election. About a year ago, the movements of former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won, who has a solid support base in the region, were in the spotlight. However, after Park confirmed his candidacy for the Haenam-Wando-Jindo electoral district, Democratic Party figures began announcing their candidacies for Mokpo one after another. Due to the local characteristic that "the Democratic Party primary is essentially the main election," preparations for the party primary are showing intense enthusiasm.

From the left, Kim Won-i, Moon Yong-jin, Bae Jong-ho, Yoon Sun-woong, Lee Yoon-seok, Choi Guk-jin, Choi Il-gon preliminary candidates. (in alphabetical order)

First, incumbent Representative Kim Won is aiming for re-election. In the 21st general election, Kim defeated the formidable "political veteran" Park Ji-won, who ran as a candidate from the Minsheng Party, and secured the seat. Over the past four years, he has been evaluated for diligent legislative activities, including the establishment of a medical school, but at the same time, he faces Achilles' heels such as issues involving a former aide and controversies over leaked party membership applications during the last local election.

Regarding this, Representative Kim explained, "The issue with the former aide was ultimately cleared with a no-charge disposition, and the claims of secondary victimization were also dismissed following an investigation by the Democratic Party's Ethics Inspection Team."

Bae Jong-ho, Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party's Strategic Planning Committee, has thrown his hat in the ring for the fifth time?only in Mokpo. He has long been known in the region and enjoys high support. He graduated from Mokpo High School, holds a bachelor's degree in Russian Language from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, a master's degree in Theology from Liberty University Graduate School, and has worked as a KBS Washington correspondent and a professor at Sehan University.

Moon Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party's Special Committee on Health and Medical Care, is also actively pursuing the nomination. Moon has been engaged in medical activities in Mokpo as the director of a couple's nursing hospital and is building his position by emphasizing his youthful energy in his early 40s.

Former Blue House administrator Choi Il-gon has declared his candidacy with the pledge to "restore the lost politics of Mokpo" and is working hard to win grassroots support. He graduated from Mokpo Cheongho Middle School and Sejong University and earned a master's degree in Communication from the University of Westminster in the UK. He has served as an aide to National Assembly members Park Joo-min and Yoon Gun-young and as secretary to Representative Jung Sung-ho.

From the People Power Party, Yoon Seon-ung, Chairman of the Mokpo City Party Member Council of the People Power Party, has registered as a preliminary candidate and is cultivating his voter base, while from the Progressive Party, Choi Guk-jin, co-chairman of the Progressive Party Mokpo City Committee, is running.

In addition, former Representative Lee Yoon-seok, who served as a member of the 18th and 19th National Assembly, a three-term Jeonnam Provincial Assembly member, and chairman of the provincial council, has thrown his hat in the ring as an independent candidate.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.